Discuss the role of Othello in the final scene. What do you think of his motives for killing Desdemona, and how are they consistent with his feelings in Acts 3 & 4?

It could be argued that he is a merely a pawn of Iago, but his opening monologue reveals that, by this point, he is more so a pawn of his own jealous mind and his entitled sense of righteousness. He is, as much as Iago, to blame. His mind works like a self-perpetuation machine, affirming its own doubts (True ocular proof is never given), and this removes the sympathy we felt for him earlier on. Furthermore, his turn to sexual, demeaning language, coupled with his actions towards Desdemona (striking her), become increasingly unacceptable and irredeemable.

In this scene, everything that the audience already knows (through Iago) now comes to light for the other characters. How effectively do you think Shakespeare has plotted all this?

Misunderstandings are fundamental to tragedies, but I still think they’re poor driving forces for narratives; the weight of real, personal conflict isn’t there. Perhaps this is because of our modern context, in which communication is encouraged, particularly with regards to emotions and relationships, but it feels that if the characters of the play were to just have one conversation with each other Iago’s plan would be void.

In this scene, Iago is exposed. Why does Shakespeare render him determinedly silent? How do you understand the repeated descriptions of him as ‘villain’? Is he merely the ‘stage villain’, ‘the bad guy’?

He is very much a moustache-twirling villain, but I think that narrative choice works, as it just plays into his supreme sense of ego. Despite this, his asides to the audience can come across as particularly heavy-handed at times.

What is the effect of bringing in first Montano and Gratiano, then Lodovico? What do these characters contribute to our final experience of the drama?

The extra characters serve as a diegetic audience to the dramatic conclusion of the narrative; our emotions can be expressed through them. Additionally, it introduces a court of public of opinion, furthering Iago’s comeuppance.

Lines 334-352. What feelings and motives do you sense in this speech of Othello’s? Consider that he refers to what has just happened as ‘unlucky’. Consider also the ways he thinks he should justly be spoken of. Do you have sympathy for him here?

Some, he is definitely a victim, if not of Iago then of his own fears, but Shakespeare again writes his monologue as entitled; Othello feels he deserves forgiveness and a legacy just because of his circumstance, which comes across as self-obsessed and insincere. Why should we not remember Desdemona, the innocent lover murdered by a misguided agent of jealousy whom she trusted?